Leader Pays Tribute to Former President; 'I Have Lived Out the Promise of LBJ's Efforts'

AUSTIN, Texas—President Barack Obama hailed the civil-rights legacy of Lyndon Baines Johnson on Thursday, saying the laws the former president championed had become as fundamental as the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and opened doors of opportunity for many Americans.

In a speech marking the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Mr. Obama pushed back against those who have soured on some government programs and who...